On Saturday, August 6, Drew Child Development Corporation (Drew CDC) celebrated the beginning of the school year through their 6th annual Back2School Community Resources Event. Smiles were everywhere at the occasion in South Los Angeles as backpacks loaded with school supplies passed to 247 young students through car windows, while DJ Lil One, age 12, kept the atmosphere upbeat by spinning records throughout the day. Additionally, UCLA’s Dental Health Students gave out free dental exams, fluoride treatments, and dental health supplies, while the California Highway Patrol handed out wristbands and stickers.
Often informed by Drew CDC’s social media presence, kids, parents, and volunteers flocked to the event enthusiastic to connect with their community while getting ready for school. Reyna Galarza, a first-time volunteer and aspiring applicant to the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, described how much helping with the event meant to her since she often lacked these same resources when she was growing up. Samuel Aguilar, another local volunteer, commented, “Working with Drew CDC staff and volunteers to make sure that local children of all ages receive the tools necessary to begin the school year on the right foot was a thoroughly fulfilling experience.”
Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán, a long-time partner of Drew CDC, also distributed supplies alongside Jackie Clarke, CEO, and the Drew CDC staff and their families at the event. Congresswoman Barragán reflected on Drew CDC’s “…huge role throughout communities in Watts, Compton, Willowbrook, and South Los Angeles” and the importance of alleviating families’ financial burdens so that children are “…fully prepared to focus on school.”
Supported by donors including Manufacturers Bank, SoCal Gas, Tyler Perry Foundation, Dickerson Insurance, Allstate Building & Office Maintenance, Canon and Cintas, as well as individual donors and volunteers, the event was conducted in drive-thru fashion to help maintain COVID-19 precautions and keep families and volunteers safe.
Going forward, Drew CDC will continue providing early education STEAM learning centers – free and low-cost childcare, mental health services, and access to other resources for children in the underprivileged communities of Los Angeles. Their next giveaway event, the Winter Wonderland Toy Giveaway Drive-Thru, will be held just in time for the holidays on December 10prepared backpacks , 2022.
